Lauren Mercer is angry when she talks about Larry Nassar and the shadow he has cast over gymnastics, the sport she loves.

She shared her thoughts Thursday night at High Flyers Sports Arena in Howell, where she and teammates from Brighton High School were competing in a meet with gymnasts from Howell and Livonia.

“I am very disgusted and shocked — I went to a gymnastics camp where he was and I was the age where he assaulted these girls,” said Lauren, a 16-year-old junior. “All in all, I can’t imagine the pain… It is sickening.”

As of this week, more than 260 women and girls have reported they were sexually assaulted by Nassar, the former MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor whose court cases recently concluded. Nassar’s third and final sentencing concluded Monday in Eaton County. Nassar will serve 60 years on federal child pornography charges, and concurrent sentences of 40 to 175 years and 40 to 125 years in Ingham County and Eaton County, respectively.

Nassar will spend the rest of his life behind bars, while the fallout continues for Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, which are under intense scrutiny.

“I hope USAG and MSU can come back, but everyone who enabled this either needs to be put in jail or needs to resign,” Lauren said. “I hope they can rebuild. I hate to see the sport I’ve loved for 12 years be given this image.”

“I haven’t heard from anyone personally who is taking their child out of the sport,” Anne Mercer said. “I don’t wish anything bad, but it is important there is a thorough investigation of USAG and MSU officials and this be resolved.”

Pat Gunnis, owner of Infinity Gymnastics in Brighton, said it is very sad that the whole situation exists. Infinity has competitive teams that are governed by USA Gymnastics, which raises issues for Gunnis.

“My biggest fear is if USA Gymnastics goes belly-up as a governing body, what do all the gyms in the country do?” she wondered. “Everything in competitive gymnastics is sanctioned by USAG… Where are we if they go belly-up? It’s a concern. I hope they have done enough for the U.S. Olympic Committee. Have they done enough? I don’t think we’ve seen all the repercussions.”

Last month, the U.S. Olympic Committee demanded that the USAG Board of Directors resign over their handling of the sex abuse scandal or be decertified as the country’s governing body for gymnastics. The board complied within the week.

The Olympic Committee has also required mandatory implementation of a Safe Sport Policy in which all USAG members must be trained.

Gunnis said the policy is one which she has always followed, thought now the course is formal and will be mandatory for all employees.

CLOSE

The owner of a Michigan-based gymnastics club may decide to no longer be a USA Gymnastics club member. USA Gymnastics is under fire for its alleged involvement in the Larry Nassar case.
Eric Lacy / Lansing State Journal

“All the small gyms are doing everything right,” she said. “We’ve always had a policy that no coach, girl or boy, should be alone with a gymnast at any time.”

Nancy Gregory, owner of High Flyers Sports Arena in Howell, said her gym is focused on recreational gymnastics and is not associated with USAG.

“We don’t believe philosophically in the kids doing 20 hours a week of gymnastics,” said Gregory. “They need to be able to do other things.”

High Flyers gymnasts are in the Amateur Athletic Union, but safety policies, which she follows, are still in place and she, too, said her gymnasts are never alone with a coach or other staff member.

“It’s just a way of life — it’s reassuring to everyone,” Gregory said. “You have to realize you can’t be ignorant to things going on and you can’t turn an eye on it.”

She believes the current scrutiny of USA Gymnastics should not have a negative impact on her gym and said gymnastics is “the best thing” for kids — teaching skills including problem solving, listening, and body and spatial awareness.

An Indianapolis Star investigation of USA Gymnastics, begun in 2016, uncovered widespread sexual abuse of athletes by coaches and others and failures to alert authorities. The IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, revealed the first allegations of abuse by Nassar, a high-profile women’s gymnastics team doctor, and triggered a criminal prosecution that led to his imprisonment.

Anne Mercer said she and her “feisty” daughter both love gymnastics and will continue to enjoy it.

“It teaches confidence, dedication and that hard work and commitment pays off,” she said.

Moments later, Lauren performs a vault, landing on her feet and raising her arms triumphantly.

Lauren Mercer lands a vault during a gymnastics meet at High Flyers Sports Arena in Howell on Feb. 1, 2018.(Photo: Susan Bromley)